A taste of Old Mexico

Lopez describes theinitial experience of his grandmother trekking across the regions of Mexico in1952, visiting towns and villages and filming the sights and sounds, the colorsand movements, the ancient ritual dances, the historic traditions and music ofrural Mexico.

"She was a classicallytrained ballet dancer and choreographer, and what she did was to recordeverything she saw, all that she took in,” Lopez said, “then bring it back tothe dance studio and use what she'd filmed to create a more abstract stageversion for professionally trained dancers.”

Ballet Folklorico hitit big as the equivalent of a national dance company of Mexico. The troupecomes to the Wharton Center Thursday, March 4.

This year marks thebicentennial celebration of Mexico's independence from Spain. Lopez bringstogether 40 dancers, 16 musicians and a coterie of costumes in a display ofdance that is culturally representative of many eras in Mexican history.

"As a youngerman, I was myself one of the dancers, performing the rope dance, an elaboratedance featuring lassos,” said Lopez.

A crowd favorite is"La Danza del Vernado," or the deer dance, which recreates an ancientearly Native American ritual dance depicting the ritual of the hunter stalkingthe deer.

Ballet Folklorico de Mexico

7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 4

Cobb Great Hall, Wharton Center

$15-$28

(800) WHARTON

www.whartoncenter.com